BridgeStat - November 2011

Crime in Cambridge: 1/1/11 to 11/21/11

● The serious crime total in Cambridge for 2011 continues to register below last year’s total, with a 3% decline reported when compared with the first eleven months of 2010. This also remains true when 2011 is measured against the five-year weighted average of index crimes for this time frame, with a drop of 8% recorded. The majority of this decrease can be attributed to the overall decline in larceny (-9% compared to 2010), where there have been 204 fewer thefts reported in 2011.

● There have been 118 fewer property crimes recorded so far in 2011 to record a 4% decrease when compared with the first eleven months of last year. Property crimes registered a decline of 9% when measured against the 5-year weighted average for the time span between 1/1/11 and 11/21/11. Over the first eleven months of 2011, there have been six additional violent crimes reported in Cambridge (rising from 399 to 405). When compared with the 5-year weighted average, violent crimes are 2% below the projected number of 412 for the same time period.

● The decline of larceny from motor vehicles at 23% less than the number reported in 2010 and 35% below the 5-year weighted average continues to drive the entire declining crime index trend. There were 167 fewer thefts from vehicles through November 21st of 2011 than there were during the same time period in 2010.

● After an exceptionally low total of street robberies during the warm weather months in our City and then a spike in this crime type in October and November, robberies have begun to even out following a number of arrests.